Conte Leaving - No Smoke without Fire

Yesterday, our lead article questioned as to whether Antonio Conte would be the manager of Chelsea Football Club next season.

The article, Click Here, covered the inference that Antonio Conte is in the running to become the manager of the Italian national side for a second time.

The article brought a mixed response from the Vital Chelsea membership, some suggested that they wouldn`t blame Antonio if he were to leave, citing home sickness, whilst others thought it was just the media doing their best to unsettle Chelsea Football Club, a favourite past-time of theirs it would seem.

However, the speculation refuses to die and it`s starting to get to the point where we may have to question whether there is indeed no smoke without fire.

Our reference source is championing the suggestion that the Italian Football Federation will make an official approach for Conte to resume his role as the Italian national coach, for a second time, after the 2018 World Cup Finals, in Russia, have been completed.

Would Conte be tempted by such an offer or is he looking more for the day-to-day involvement of club football?

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It`s time for Roman and Emenalo to become team coach and assistant, for the club to then go into free fall and then and only then, will they actually realise the true worth of a manager. Until that moment arises, we will continue to be run like a circus. We are slowly running out of quality managers who will be willing to take over the reigns, where the expectation is to do miracles with their hands tied behind their backs and then do the same again the following year with a weakened team. Mourinho and the rest of them must now be very happy that they are well rid of the poisoned chalice.

There is no point getting all worked up. What will happen will happen. One thing I know for sure though is that even if Conte is leaving, absolutely next to zero chance he will return to the Italian national team. He said it clearly, he wants to smell the grass regularly and return to club football management, and that was just over a year ago. Maybe he will still coach the italian national team one day in the future, but not this 2018 world cup. So I am quite certain this particular news is BS pretty much. I think Uncle Carlo will have a better chance of coaching italy to the world cup, that is if it interests him.

The national team holds on interest for either Carlo or Conte, its AC Milan that will lure one or the other , interesting development, they are adding Gennaro Gatuso to their coaching staff, a person very popular with both Carlo and Conte . Another factor is we have an Australian tour next July, we have 17 players on WC duty (maybe 19 if Fab and Luis join the party ) inc loanee's like Zouma . These players will not be able to participate in the pre-season tour . This is not a good situation for the manager or the club . Going back to 2014 Mou was able to talk the board into cancelling a summer jaunt , because of the WC , but for Conte or Carlo or whomever this is the first obstacle to be dealt with .

@Uncle Merlin, Every right thinking fan would think its a huge shame that the club cant support a manager properly and keep him for around for a considerable period of time. But I dont think the board is bothered at all. In fact, I can argue that it seems like its a delibrate part of their strategy. Yes we have won trophies with this sort of dysfunctional approach but when will the board realize that we now need a modicum of stability, especially now that we have a young, passionate and amazing coach who is doing well and can do better if properly supported and a team that is just 2-3 players away from going toe to toe with the very best. Messi and Ronaldo will soon wane in the next 2-3 years at most, and there will be new powers in the world of football, we have a fantastic chance to dominate over the next 5-7 years. We also have the new stadium project coming up which gives another good reason to have stability with our coach. I know all I am typing is BS, and the board is set in its ways. For me, I have dealt with it in my head already. If Conte leaves, then so be it, its the way of the board. Hopefully their trusted strategy which appears to feed chaos and disrupt the youngsters will continue to yield trophies and more profits. Afterall I still think that is all this is about and all they care about.

Unfortunately, much of the decision making on key footballing matters (as opposed to the commercial side) such as transfers, is taking by people at the club with no relevant football experience. The club has badly handled the departures of several top class coaches without addressing the issues of what has actually gone wrong at the club. Essentially, the club needs to give the 'coach' the title of Manager, reform the Transfer Committee and have the Manager report to the Owner and not some lackey . The Manager should be the reference point for all transfer targets. We have watched players come to the club, without the agreement of the 'coach', which seems ludicrous given that it is he that loses his job if the team fails. Chelsea has recruited some of the best managers in the world, yet fails to provide them with the wherewith all to undertake the job properly. Football is
a massive commercial business and Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs. You would hope that their commercial operations are managed by experienced people. If that is the case, why is the footballing side under the overall control of inexperienced people, apart from the coach. There is no business model that supports the system at Stamford Bridge, in regard to the football structure.

I'm still finding it kind of difficult to understand why a man who got his wish for two more backroom staff in addition to the initial eleven fulfilled, will just suddenly decides that its time to head back to Italy...We will all have to wait and see though!

If what is reported in media is anything to go by, then Conte is really trying hard to hold the club at ransom. I wouldn't mind if he left. I think Chelsea should try to look for raw talent coach like Real Madrid discovered Zidane.

Uncle Merlin that is spot on.The only solution for stability of progress of building on the first team by adding on players that buy into a managers certain idea of football ,instead of messy decisions is getting the environment for long term manager.Be it whoever else comes he should be given power,trust for 10 or 15 year stay for the good of academy success as well.The problem to me is the closest advisors round Roman have always been mediocre call avram grant, then to a little bit emenalo as examples